the descent
by mistykasumi
Summary: Everyone has lost something. Neji can no longer see, for instance, Lee is still in a coma from protecting Sakura, and Naruto has lost his humanity. futurefic, postwar.


Disclaimer: Not mine and not for profit, y0.

Notes: The whole Neji idea? Totally ceresi's. Done in 66 minutes for tempsmort's end is beginning challenge.

* * *

The sky is dark now.

* * *

The war ends at great cost to Konoha. Too many people have died, and even more people are injured. The restoration is not slow, and it is not somber or sad, but underneath everything, in the air, there's this feeling that cannot be described.

The new generation is world-weary and tired, has wasted their prime in a war, and they don't really remember peace and happiness anymore, much less living peacefully and happily. Everyone has lost something.

Neji can no longer see, for instance, Lee is still in a coma from protecting Sakura, and Naruto has lost his humanity.

* * *

It's not that Naruto isn't human anymore because he still is, but he's…less human. Not in the sense that the Kyuubi has taken over but that he's no longer the same eager boy he had been. Everyone has noticed.

No one really knows what to do.

* * *

They capture Sasuke alive on the last day of the war, and he is kept in a small cell with extremely restricted access. He refuses to talk. There is no need anymore, of course, but Sakura wants to hear something even remotely resembling regret or an apology, anything that says that he didn't really mean it, that he is still part of Konoha.

She visits him everyday, and he replies to her in monosyllabic answers. The only sentence he ever says to her is to ask her to bring Naruto to him.

Naruto does not even answer her question, just turns back into his apartment.

Sasuke stops speaking to Sakura.

* * *

Iruka's arms can be considered ruined. He can use them still, yes, but he can't do much heavy work with them, and he often calls Naruto over to help him carry groceries or fix something. He always takes Naruto out to Ichiraku afterward.

These are the times when Naruto's eyes are clear and he smiles, big and bright and full of youthful enthusiasm, and at times like these, Iruka forgets that Naruto has changed. It's easier to forget.

Seeing Naruto with hard eyes and grimness upon his face the next day always hurts.

* * *

Gaara only suffers a few minor injuries, and he is one of the first to leave the hospital. He doesn't know what to do when he's outside, the smell of death around him. Gaara does not how to give life, only death.

They ask him to question Sasuke. Sasuke's eyes are still the same, eyes that want to prove his place in the world, and Gaara asks him nothing. He leaves this picture of death sitting where he is and walks out.

Gaara does not know how to give life, only death, and at that moment, he wishes more than ever that he can give life.

* * *

Neji can no longer see. His byakugan still works, though, and Tsunade did something so that he can now see with chakra. These days, he sees outlines and shapes, not faces or expressions or anything like that, but he can feel just about all of that from the chakra.

He always knows when Gaara and Naruto are near because they are always the brightest. Gaara has always been the cold death of a murderer, but Neji doesn't recognize Naruto the first time he feels the cynical harshness.

When Neji asks Hinata later what happened, she says no one knows. It's not enough, and now, Neji will never know.

* * *

Shikamaru is even lazier now that Chouji is dead. He says everything is too troublesome. No one counters him. He meets his genin team two days late, and that's only after Tsunade threatened him.

Shikamaru does not take his team for barbeque to celebrate, even though his team asks him. Instead, he takes them to Ichiraku, and he sits next to Naruto. They do not speak beyond the perfunctory greetings, but they both understand.

* * *

On the day Sasuke is executed, Sakura begs Naruto to go see Sasuke. Naruto looks at her with blank eyes and says she can stand in for him, and even when she says Sasuke cares, Naruto does not look back.

Sasuke refuses to see her, and Sakura locks herself in her apartment and cries the whole day. She marks a grave for him on the outskirts of Konoha several days later and brings flowers everyday. She doesn't know that most people who walk by spit on it.

No one knows that Sasuke dies with Naruto behind his eyelids.

Naruto wouldn't have cared even if he knew.

* * *

Neji has not miscounted the birds since becoming blind.

He knows Gaara watches him at times, a brilliant white at the edge of his vision that spreads everywhere. Gaara never speaks, though, and neither does Neji. They are always at a distance.

The last time Gaara watches Neji, he is sparring Hinata. Neji knows Gaara can see with his cold eyes, but he doesn't care. He knows what's behind Gaara's eyes because it's behind his, too.

* * *

Iruka sees Naruto almost smile.

When Iruka touches Naruto lightly on the arm as they are walking back to Iruka's apartment, Naruto holding two bags of groceries, Naruto looks at him, and Iruka thinks that Naruto's face looks less harsh than usual. He makes a random comment, and Iruka can see the trust behind Naruto's face, the relaxation in his body.

Iruka knows he is lucky.

* * *

Naruto bumps into Gaara at dusk. Gaara's eyes are piercing, but Naruto is unfazed. He has not been intimidated or afraid of Gaara since the Chuunin exam. Neither is he afraid of what Gaara may see.

Gaara does see, but he does not say anything. They stand before each other without speaking, and they both know the other knows. It does not matter anymore. It hasn't mattered for a long time.

The seagulls are still pecking at the objects littered on the beach when Gaara arrives at the waterfront. The sky is dark now.


End file.
